Cubs ace suspended six games

Cubs ace Carlos Zambrano was suspended for six games by Major League Baseball on Thursday, a day after his tirade during a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Cubs ace Carlos Zambrano was suspended for six games by Major League Baseball on Thursday, a day after his tirade during a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Zambrano said he won’t appeal the penalty, which included a fine. Barring rainouts, he is eligible to return next Thursday and start that night at Atlanta.

“Well, you know, I think I’m a pretty good judge of when you make a mistake, when you do something wrong, you have to pay for it,” Zambrano said. “I don’t have a problem with that. I know that I did something that disrespected MLB. I apologize like I did yesterday, and let’s move on. I accept the suspension.”

Chicago manager Lou Piniella said the penalty was reasonable.

“I think the ruling was fair,” Piniella said. “I think Carlos does, also. He just took it too far. I think he realizes that. We had a nice talked in my office with Carlos and (pitching coach) Larry Rothschild and told him basically we weren’t happy about the situation and we are not going to condone it, and that there is nothing wrong with being upset but you got to learn to walk away at the right time.”

Zambrano threw a baseball into left field and slammed his glove against the dugout fence after he was ejected Wednesday, moments after his wild pitch let the Pirates tie it at 2 in the seventh inning. The Cubs won 5-2.

The excitable Zambrano jumped up, argued and was ejected after he appeared to nudge Carlson. Zambrano then pointed in Carlson’s face and gave him the ejection sign.

He then fired a ball into left, tossed his glove and took a bat to a dugout drink dispenser before heading to the clubhouse.

Bob Watson, baseball’s vice president in charged is discipline, cited Zambrano for “inappropriate and violent actions on the field and in the dugout.”

WHITE SOX SS: Chicago White Sox shortstop Alexei Ramirez is being sued for $20 million for allegedly violating a contract he signed with local talent scouts before inking a major league contract.

In documents presented to the prosecutors office in the Peravia judicial district southeast of the Dominican capital, Ramirez and his agent Jaime Torres are alleged to owe Julio Martinez and Ramon Fernandez $450,000 from a signing bonus.

The plaintiffs are also asking for an additional $131,156, which represents 5 percent of Ramirez’s income from two years in the majors, the documents say. The $20 million claim is for damages and violating the contract.

“A contract exists and they have not honored paying 30 percent of the signing bonus, and 5 percent of his income as a professional baseball player,” Manuel Valdez, the lawyer for the plaintiff, said.

Ramirez left Cuba in September of 2007 and settled in the Dominican Republic, and he agreed to a $4.75 million, four-year contract with the White Sox through the 2011 season.

“This is absurd,” Torres said. “Mr. Julio Martinez and Ramon Fernandez know well the laws they have violated. We’re going to leave it to the courts to decide, and that’s all we are going to say.”

EXTRA BASES: Tom Hicks is willing to give up control of baseball’s Texas Rangers if the right deal comes along but he intends to keep the NHL’s Dallas Stars. Hicks said in late March that he was seeking minority investors to purchase up to 49 percent in each club. About a week later, the holding company that owns the clubs, Hicks Sports Group, defaulted on about $525 million in loans. Hicks said he intentionally made the move to help negotiate with banks.